Shrimp Cycle - How Long?

FranktheTankTx · 10/21/2008, 02:07 PM

Ok - Exactly how long does it take for ammonia and nitrites to appear after adding the shrimp?

It's been 24 hours - and I'm 0'd out across the board.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0

For the record - I added 2 medium sized raw shrimp to my tank below.

crvz · 10/21/2008, 02:35 PM

That should have been long enough, I wouldnt push it much past 2 days personally. What do you have in the tank with them (what kind of substrate)?

FranktheTankTx · 10/21/2008, 02:43 PM

50 lbs of live rock & 50 lbs of live sand.

Could it be that the live rock & sand was "live" enough to support a bio load? Water smells nice and fresh!

I would have figured 24 hours would have caused a nice ammonia spike - but I was always old fashioned and cycled with a Damsel. First time Shrimp cycle for me.

I'll give it another 24 hours... if nothing I may add my first fish and small portion of clean up crew.

FranktheTankTx · 10/21/2008, 08:24 PM

Anyone?

ande · 10/21/2008, 08:31 PM

Just looked at my tank log - I added a raw scallop and tested two days later (0 for ammonia and nitrite). On day four I tested again and measured ammonia at .5. The complete cycle using the scallop took 20 days. I did have mostly base rock and just added a couple of pieces of live rock and a couple of cups of live sand from an already established tank.

wrott · 10/21/2008, 08:43 PM

You should see NH3 spike w/in 1 hour of adding excess food.
Yor test kit may be bad. You could use an other NH3 source to test your kit--urine, household cleaners w/ NH3, etc.

FranktheTankTx · 10/21/2008, 09:04 PM

I doubt very seriously the test kit is bad. It's a brand new kit and everything else tests perfectly -

pH - 8.2
Ca - 440
PO4 - 0
Alk - 8

I'll test again this evening & tomorrow - it's been about 36 hours now.

10/21/2008, 02:07 PM	#1
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	Shrimp Cycle - How Long? Ok - Exactly how long does it take for ammonia and nitrites to appear after adding the shrimp? It's been 24 hours - and I'm 0'd out across the board. Ammonia - 0 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 0 For the record - I added 2 medium sized raw shrimp to my tank below. __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

10/21/2008, 02:35 PM	#2
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	That should have been long enough, I wouldnt push it much past 2 days personally. What do you have in the tank with them (what kind of substrate)? __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

10/21/2008, 02:43 PM	#3
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	50 lbs of live rock & 50 lbs of live sand. Could it be that the live rock & sand was "live" enough to support a bio load? Water smells nice and fresh! I would have figured 24 hours would have caused a nice ammonia spike - but I was always old fashioned and cycled with a Damsel. First time Shrimp cycle for me. I'll give it another 24 hours... if nothing I may add my first fish and small portion of clean up crew. __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

10/21/2008, 08:24 PM	#4
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	Anyone? __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

10/21/2008, 08:43 PM	#6
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	You should see NH3 spike w/in 1 hour of adding excess food. Yor test kit may be bad. You could use an other NH3 source to test your kit--urine, household cleaners w/ NH3, etc. __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

10/21/2008, 08:31 PM	#5
ande Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 20	Just looked at my tank log - I added a raw scallop and tested two days later (0 for ammonia and nitrite). On day four I tested again and measured ammonia at .5. The complete cycle using the scallop took 20 days. I did have mostly base rock and just added a couple of pieces of live rock and a couple of cups of live sand from an already established tank.

10/21/2008, 09:04 PM	#7
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	I doubt very seriously the test kit is bad. It's a brand new kit and everything else tests perfectly - pH - 8.2 Ca - 440 PO4 - 0 Alk - 8 I'll test again this evening & tomorrow - it's been about 36 hours now. __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")